Anger in Wigan as homeowners blame authorities for devastating New Year flooding

ITV News Granada Reports journalist Anna Youssef spent the day with residents who have felt the full effects of the floods, while ITV Weather Presenter Jo Blythe looks ahead to more weather warnings

Residents and business owners are demanding answers from the authorities claiming they have been left at the mercy of the weather following the New Year flooding.

The Environment Agency says that flood defences it has built have defended 21,000 homes in the region, but it admits more work needs to be done.

With amber warnings for more extreme weather on the horizon many are now facing a bleak start to 2025.

For Julie Lloyd from Abram, Wigan, it is a familiar experience. Her home has been flooded three times since September, but, she says it does not make it any easier to deal with.

She and her husband were both at work when their security cameras showed that their home was beginning to fill with water in the early hours of New Year's Day.

They both rushed home but were powerless to stop the stinking water that filled it to a depth of more than a foot, with water from drains and a nearby brook taking over the lower floor.

Recalling that morning she says: "It absolutely stinks, its awful, its absolutely awful.

"We just couldn't stop it, we tried, next door tried, but we just couldn't stop it coming in."

They had done their best to prepare, heeding the flood warnings that were issued, but as the ruined carpets and Christmas decorations show it was not enough.

She said New Year's Day should have been a joyous family gathering, with her grandchildren coming to stay overnight, but all that remains is the stench and shattered hopes.

"It impacts severely really because you lose your electrics, so you can't cook, you can't wash," she added.

"We've managed to get some electrics on upstairs, so we're running extensions.

"All your appliances downstairs aren't working, its hard to live with really."

Neighbours Stephen and Sheila Christie say they were a little more lucky. They 'only' had two inches of water enter their home.

They too had experienced the devastation of flooding at the site before, and also heeded the warnings this time.

But like Julie they couldn't stem the rising tide of sewage and rain water.

Sheila says that once the rain starts they begin to fear the inevitable. "You just sit there and wait , we keep going to the drains, watching the drains on the drive, making sure they don't move."

Stephen added: "It's a weird feeling because all the work you've done, we've just had all the drives done, the kitchen floor relaid, you know at the back of your mind that you could be minutes away from cutting it up."

He says he feels all the bodies involved in managing the problem need to come together to coordinate their efforts to manage water more effectively, and that its an issue that needs addressing not just across the North West, but across the country as a whole.

Residents feel that no-one is taking responsibility for the repeated flooding at the site, and that they are being left to fend for themselves.

In a statement Wigan Council said: “Wigan Council works in partnership with a number of organisations to manage flood risk and help communities to become more resilient to flooding.

“We deeply empathise with residents affected by the recent flooding over the New Year period, caused by significant rainfall over a short period.

“Wigan Borough has its own Local Flood Risk Management Strategy and our teams regularly review our approaches to mitigate the impact of flooding.

“Wherever possible, we offer a range of support to those affected and our officers have been supporting residents throughout these recent incidents. We will continue to work closely with agencies as it is important to note that no single organisation can eliminate all flood risks.”

A United Utilities spokesperson said: “The recent flooding in Bickershaw Lane was caused when nearby Hey Brook broke its bank and water levels rose dramatically.

"We understand the frustration of residents living in the area so, after an earlier flooding incident, we carried out work to increase capacity in the brook by removing debris that had been dumped in the short section that is in our ownership.

"We continue to keep this clear. We are working with both the local authority and the Environment Agency as they explore options for flood alleviation.”